1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that performs maintenance operations. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that is capable of performing maintenance operations using a usage pattern, in which a message for determining whether to perform maintenance operations is displayed when the usage pattern for commanding maintenance operations corresponds to printing information, and a method for the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Maintenance operations in an image forming apparatus prevent clogging of a printhead nozzle and contamination by ink by performing spitting, wiping and capping functions. In a spitting function, ink droplets are expelled to maintain a smooth flow of ink through the nozzle. In a wiping function, the ink nozzle is cleaned. In a capping function, the nozzle is sealed to prevent the ink from drying during periods of non-use. Generally, maintenance operations in an inkjet printer are performed before or during the printing.
Inkjet printers can generally be divided into two types of printers: thermal-bubble jet types and a piezoelectric transducer types. A thermal-bubble jet type inkjet printer electrically heats a chamber so that ink in the chamber thermally expands and is thereby jetted out through a nozzle. A piezoelectric transducer type inkjet printer drives a vibrating plate by vibrating a piezoelectric body to jet out ink in a chamber through a nozzle by the vibration.
In the thermal-bubble jet type printer, especially, a bubble generated by heating the ink stored in a cartridge is attached onto a printing paper through a nozzle, thereby performing printing. When ink adheres to and remains in the printhead, image quality may deteriorate. To prevent this, maintenance operations for removing ink adhered to the printhead are required.
FIG. 1 shows a printer body to explain conventional maintenance operations.
Referring to FIG. 1, a carriage 1 that carries an ink cartridge 3 is mounted to transversely reciprocate in the printer body. The carriage 1 moves between a printer section where the ink is jetted through a nozzle portion 5 of the ink cartridge 3 onto a printing medium and a service section where the carriage 1 is parked during non-use or where ink in the nozzle portion 5 is wiped out. A maintenance device 7 is mounted at one side of the service section.
After the ink cartridge 3 which is mounted in the carriage 1 completes printing by reciprocating in the printer section and ejecting ink onto a printing medium, the ink cartridge 3 is moved to the service section. A wiper (not shown) cleans the nozzle portion 5 smeared with ink by wiping the nozzle portion 5. While the carriage 1 is parked, a cap (not shown) disposed below the nozzle portion 5 seals the nozzle portion 5 to prevent the ink from drying in the nozzle portion 5.
Generally, maintenance operations are required when the printer is reset or the head is replaced with a new one, when a user requests maintenance operations on demand, and when the printer is kept in an idle state for a predetermined amount of time.
However, requesting maintenance operations requires the user to manually input a command through a printer driver in a host device connected to the printer. This process is cumbersome.
In addition, when maintenance operations are automatically performed based on conditions set in the printer, maintenance operations may be performed at undesirable times since it is hard for the printer to consider diverse printing conditions.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved apparatus for performing maintenance operations in an image forming apparatus, and a method of doing the same.